Increasing System Capacity under NEM 1.0

[colin8128]

Hello,

I live in Southern California. I had a SolarCity (now Tesla) 6.5kW system installed in 2015 under a net-metering 1.0 agreement with SCE that specifies a "nameplate rating" 7.2kW generating facility producing an average of 1037kWh per month. I am only generating an average of 720kWh per month and I am using about 1000kWh per month. I would like to add panels so that I am generating closer to the 1000kWh I am using. I would plan to install panels with microinverters on a new breaker so that I am not tampering with the current system in any way. I can see that most of the options I have if I go through a solar provider involve re-signing NEM with SCE, having a bunch of inspections, etc, all of which I'd like to avoid if possible.

I have adequate south-facing roof space and a fair amount of electrical experience. Is it realistic for me to DIY install a few more panels without going through the bigger painstaking process?

thanks to everyone for their guidance and advice.

 

[MurphyGuy]

Hello,

I live in Southern California. I had a SolarCity (now Tesla) 6.5kW system installed in 2015 under a net-metering 1.0 agreement with SCE that specifies a "nameplate rating" 7.2kW generating facility producing an average of 1037kWh per month. I am only generating an average of 720kWh per month and I am using about 1000kWh per month. I would like to add panels so that I am generating closer to the 1000kWh I am using. I would plan to install panels with microinverters on a new breaker so that I am not tampering with the current system in any way. I can see that most of the options I have if I go through a solar provider involve re-signing NEM with SCE, having a bunch of inspections, etc, all of which I'd like to avoid if possible.

I have adequate south-facing roof space and a fair amount of electrical experience. Is it realistic for me to DIY install a few more panels without going through the bigger painstaking process?

thanks to everyone for their guidance and advice.

I would recommend you just file the proper permits. It's really not that hard.

 

[Ampster]

Is it realistic for me to DIY install a few more panels without going through the bigger painstaking process?

Yes it is realistic. You can also pull a building permit which will keep you in compliance with building codes. There is not connection with pulling a building permit and your Net Energy Metering agreement. They are two distinct processes. long term with TOU rates you may want to consider some battery storage to allow you to reduce your consumption at peak rates.

 

[colin8128]

I would recommend you just file the proper permits. It's really not that hard.

Where I live the building permits often take several months and thousands of $'s for anything completed by a homeowner. I wish it wasn't that hard, but the reality is that most of the work people have done in this rural town I live in is unpermitted.

 

[Ampster]

most of the work people have done in this rural town I live in is unpermitted.

Then that sounds like a plan.

 

[MurphyGuy]

Where I live the building permits often take several months and thousands of $'s for anything completed by a homeowner. I wish it wasn't that hard, but the reality is that most of the work people have done in this rural town I live in is unpermitted.

Well, then time for some truth.

I too live in a rural area.. we're surrounded by corn and cows with property sizes ranging from 1 to 100 acres.

I pulled all the proper permits when I originally installed our 7.6kW grid-tied array with a 6kW inverter, and it worked so well, I decided to install more. Since I had already over-engineered the system, I was able to tack on another 6kW to the existing array and add a second identical 6kW inverter.

I never pulled any permits for the add-on.. its been 3 years and the grid tied system makes more juice than any 6kW system could ever hope to make. No problems so far.

When you live within throwing distance of other homes, you really need to follow all the rules, but I think us rural country folks can get away with bending them sometimes so long as we don't do anything stupid.

 

[colin8128]

Well, then time for some truth.

I too live in a rural area.. we're surrounded by corn and cows with property sizes ranging from 1 to 100 acres.

I pulled all the proper permits when I originally installed our 7.6kW grid-tied array with a 6kW inverter, and it worked so well, I decided to install more. Since I had already over-engineered the system, I was able to tack on another 6kW to the existing array and add a second identical 6kW inverter.

I never pulled any permits for the add-on.. its been 3 years and the grid tied system makes more juice than any 6kW system could ever hope to make. No problems so far.

When you live within throwing distance of other homes, you really need to follow all the rules, but I think us rural country folks can get away with bending them sometimes so long as we don't do anything stupid.

This sounds more in line with what I was hoping to hear. I am substantially under my rated limits and I don't want to mess with the current system or go over the limits documented in my agreement. So I'm wondering "can I get away with" adding a small number of panels without running afoul of the man

 

[Ampster]

So I'm wondering "can I get away with" adding a small number of panels without running afoul of the man

It is all about monitoring your production and loads. I have a lot of data gathering devices and loads that I can generally time for when I am worried about going over my limit. I can't remember if someone mentioned it but you are allowed 1kW more capacity so add that to your target. This is not legal advice but as far as I can tell the NEM agreement is a contract. Others have suggested that things of this nature are breaking the law. I see it as a contractual disagreement between parties.

 

[MurphyGuy]

It is all about monitoring your production and loads. I have a lot of data gathering devices and loads that I can generally time for when I am worried about going over my limit. I can't remember if someone mentioned it but you are allowed 1kW more capacity so add that to your target. This is not legal advice but as far as I can tell the NEM agreement is a contract.

My system is documented as 7.6kW of array with a 6kW inverter.. I added another 6kW to it so I almost always produce far more juice than I should be producing. Heck, I was pumping out 9 kW yesterday.

I was worried for a while my POCO had some monitoring device that would catch me but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Others have suggested that things of this nature are breaking the law. I see it as a contractual disagreement between parties.

I guess I'm a hard core criminal then.. ROFLMAO. Expecting a SWAT team to show up any moment to take me into custody for the protection of the community.

This is one of those times where its better to ask for forgiveness than to ask permission..

 

[colin8128]

Thank you both for your input! I agree that it's not likely to be a serious matter in a legal sense.

I am excited to learn how to install a few panels myself. I'll put some kind of monitoring in place if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Ampster]

I am excited to learn how to install a few panels myself.

Both Unirac and Ironridge have design tools that do the engineering for you. Ten years ago, I started with Unirac but my last two installations, I have used Ironridge because their racking is available from local suppliers which saves a lot of freight.

 

[MisterSandals]

I am excited to learn how to install a few panels myself.

Some call this eventual addiction a sickness, others have less positive words for what happens. Welcome to the program.

 

[mxp]

It is all about monitoring your production and loads. I have a lot of data gathering devices and loads that I can generally time for when I am worried about going over my limit. I can't remember if someone mentioned it but you are allowed 1kW more capacity so add that to your target. This is not legal advice but as far as I can tell the NEM agreement is a contract. Others have suggested that things of this nature are breaking the law. I see it as a contractual disagreement between parties.

I second this comment. But as Ampster said, pls seek legal advice or do your own research to confirm.
An installer friend told me the same thing.

You are allowed to add 1kW of capacity (no more than 1.00kW) to your existing solar panel array without submitting paperwork to your utility.
Any paperwork submitted against your meter will change the existing NEM agreement you have on file with your utility.